Oximeter sensor with digital memory encoding patient data

• US 20060030765A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Fein, Marcia, Swedlow, David, Fein, Michael E., Mannheimer, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/085 combined with means for recording calibration data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/00 Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/911 Medical electronics

Abstract

The present invention provides a memory chip for use in an oximeter sensor, or an associated adapter or connector circuit. The memory chip allows the storing of patient related data, such as patient trending data or a patient ID, to provide enhanced capabilities for the oximeter sensor. In addition to providing unique data to store in such a memory, the present invention include unique uses of the data stored in such a memory.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a light emitting element;

a light detecting element; and

a memory device storing digital data, the digital data comprising a duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

2. The sensor of claim 1, comprising a connection to a medical facility computer network, the network comprising at least one oximeter monitor.

3. The sensor of claim 1, comprising a circuit configured to read from a device external to the sensor, and a circuit configured to write to the device external to the sensor.

4. A memory device, comprising:

a memory external to a pulse oximeter monitor, the memory configured to exchange digitally encoded data with the oximeter monitor, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time that a patient has been monitored by the pulse oximeter monitor.

5. The memory device of claim 4, wherein the external memory is coupleable to a sensor port of the pulse oximeter monitor.

6. A method comprising:

storing digitally encoded data in a memory of a sensor, the sensor having a light emitting element and light detecting element, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising reading the duration of time that the patient has been monitored by the pulse oximeter from the memory of the sensor.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising exchanging digitally encoded data between a medical facility computer network and the sensor, the digitally encoded data including the duration of time that the patient has been monitored by the pulse oximeter.

9. A method of operating a sensor, the method comprising:

storing digitally encoded data in a memory device of the sensor, the digitally encoded data including a dynamic variable for storing a value for a duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein storing comprises the sensor reading the duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter, and the sensor storing in memory the duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the sensor exchanges digitally encoded data with a medical facility computer network, the digitally encoded data including the duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

12. A method for manufacturing a sensor, the method comprising:

providing a light emitting element for the sensor;

providing a light detecting element for the sensor; and

storing digitally encoded data in the memory device, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time the that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

13. A method for manufacturing a sensor, the method comprising:

providing a light emitting element for the sensor;

providing a light detecting element for the sensor; and

providing a memory device that has digitally encoded data stored thereon, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time the that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the digitally encoded duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter is read by the sensor from a source external to the sensor and the digitally encoded duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter is stored in the memory of the sensor.

15. A method for manufacturing a sensor, the method comprising:

providing a light emitting element for the sensor;

providing a light detecting element for the sensor; and

providing a location that accepts a memory device that stores digitally encoded data, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time the that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

16. A monitor comprising:

a drive circuit adapted to provide signals to circuitry of a sensor;

a first circuit adapted to read digitally encoded data from a memory of the sensor, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter; and

a second circuit adapted to write digitally encoded data to the memory of the sensor, the digitally encoded data including an updated duration of time that the patient has been monitored by the monitor.

17. The monitor of claim 16, comprising a third circuit adapted to calculate the duration of time that the patient has been monitored.

18. The monitor of claim 17, comprising a fourth circuit that resets the third circuit each time the monitor begins to receive measurement signals from the sensor.

19. The monitor of claim 17, comprising a fourth circuit that resets the third circuit each time the monitor is turned off.

20. The monitor of claim 16, comprising a display screen configured to display the duration of time that the patient has been monitored by the monitor.

21. A method for monitoring data from a sensor, the method comprising:

providing signals to drive sensor circuitry in the sensor;

reading digitally encoded data from a memory of the sensor, the digitally encoded data including an updated duration of time that the patient has been monitored by the pulse oximeter; and

writing digitally encoded data to the memory of the sensor, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time that a patient has been monitored by a pulse oximeter.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising checking a counter in the pulse oximeter periodically to determine the duration of time that the patient has been monitored by the pulse oximeter.

23. The method of claim 22, comprising resetting the counter each time the pulse oximeter begins to receive data signals from the sensor.

24. The method of claim 22, comprising resetting the counter each time the pulse oximeter is turned off.

25. The method of claim 21, comprising displaying the duration of time that the patient has been monitored by the pulse oximeter on a screen of the pulse oximeter.

26. A system for sensing and monitoring blood oxygen levels, the system comprising:

an oximeter sensor, the oximeter sensor comprising;

a light emitting element;

a light detecting element;

a memory device storing digitally encoded data, the digitally encoded data including a duration of time that a patient has been monitored; and

a monitor configured to read the digitally encoded data from the sensor and the write replacement digitally encoded data to the memory of the sensor, the replacement digitally encoded data including an updated duration of time that the patient has been monitored.

27. The system of claim 26, comprising a monitor that displays the duration of time that the patient has been monitored.

28. The system of claim 26, comprising an oximeter sensor configured to exchange the digitally encoded data with a medical facility computer network.